Shearer pleads guilty to drink-driving

Thu Sep 16 08:08:00 EST 2010

Former Australian rugby league player Dale Shearer was fined $1,000 and disqualified from driving for 12 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving yesterday.

Shearer appeared in the Noosa Magistrates Court on Queensland's Sunshine Coast yesterday morning on charges of drink-driving and driving without due care after crashing his car at Peregian Springs in February last year.

The court heard Shearer had been drinking to relieve depression after the death of his wife in 2008 and had suffered serious injuries in the crash.

Outside the court, Shearer broke down in tears and said he was glad the ordeal is finally over.

"It's been drawn out, for family and friends and even some supporters - it's been a long ordeal, it is good to be over," he said.

"That's life - you've just got to cop it on the chin and you've just got to make do somehow."